“The Exciting Prospect of Jury Duty-Yeah Right!”

Most people don’t get very excited about serving as a juror. However, as a citizen, you are a partner and shareholder in the state and nation.  Jury service is part of the responsibility of being a citizen.  Jury duty is also a very interesting experience.  Believe it or not, Jury Service can be very rewarding.   Service may bring some minor sacrifices, but you should not seek to avoid this opportunity.  If you don’t serve, you should never complain about a jury result.

In Clark County, Nevada has what is known as the One Day, One Trial jury system. This means that if you are not chosen for a jury, you will have fulfilled your service and will not be called again for at least 18 months to three years.

If you are not chosen, then you are excused. Unless the judge orders you to come back to complete his jury selection process, that is the end of your jury service.  If you are selected for a jury, you must serve until the end of the trial.

To qualify as a prospective juror you are required to:

1. Be a citizen of the United States;
2. Be a resident of Clark County;
3. Be without a felony conviction, unless your civil rights have been restored; and
4. Understand the English language

Employers are required by Nevada State Law, NRS 6.190, to allow you, as a prospective juror, the time off to participate in the jury process.  An employer’s failure to comply may result in a civil action against the employer.

Each person summoned to report is entitled to a fee of $40 for each day after the second day of jury selection and, if sworn in as a juror, is entitled to a fee of $40 for each day or service.  Mileage is reimbursed at 36.5 cents a mile for each mile traveled if the residence is 65 miles or more from the place of trial.

The most frequent question I get concerning jury duty—“how can I get out of it?”

People who wish to be excused from jury duty must call the jury information line to ask for permission. Courts should always allow exemptions in the following circumstances:

• the prospective juror is a member of the Nevada Legislature or is an employee of the Legislature or Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau while the Legislature is in session;

• the person is a police officer;

• the person is seventy years of age or older;

• the person is sixty-five years of age or older and lives sixty-five miles or more from the court;

• the person has a fictitious address for their protection from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking (pursuant to NRS 217.462 to 217.471); or

• the person already served as a juror on a trial that year or the previous year.

Generally courts will also allow people to postpone jury service for extenuating reasons such as illness, death or illness of a family member, disability, undue hardship, care-giving, or public necessity.